Kite frame construction



N 1954 c. E. BEACHY KITE FRAME CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 17, 1952 CHA/PLEsE. BEA cm INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY L WV United States PatentOfiFice This invention relates tokites and it has particular reference to certain improvements incollapsible kite frames.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a kite frame made upof a plurality of parallel, co-extensive frame members held detachablyin assembled relationship by interconnecting ribs which are primarilyjoined to each other and to the parallel members by pins in certain ofthe members which are retained in holes of companion members, thepinsbeing held against displacement from their respective holes by elasticbands so related to the interconnecting members at their joints toresist relative displacement thereof. The elastic'bands are effective topermit a certain amount of movement between the interconnecting membersto relieve strain and absorb shock which would otherwise tend to causebreakage of the members if they were not permitted to yield to violentstrains and severe shocks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a kite frame which may bereadily assembled and disassembled and, by virtue of the novel means bywhich the elements of the frame areinterconnected for yieldingdisplacement, the frame may be subjected to more abuse than it wouldotherwise survive if the parts were not resiliently joined together,hence the kite will have a longer life but will be as economical toconstruct as other less rugged kite construction.

With the foregoing objects in view, the invention has further referenceto certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as thedescription proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingwherein:

Figure l is a perspective view with part of the plane members brokenaway to better reveal the frame construction.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the resilientconnection between one of the parallel frame members and aninterconnecting member.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary detailed View of one of the wings, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing a modifiedexample of the resilient connection between parts of the kite frame.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, referencenumeral denotes each of the three parallel frame members or booms whichare of equal length. These members may be of any suitable material butare preferably made of wood and it is obvious that there may be three ofthese members, as shown, or four of such members may be used to form theso-called box kite. Spaced from the upper and lowerends of the assembledframe members 10 are brace members or sticks 11 and 12 forming asubstantially T-shaped interconnecting assembly for the said framemembers 10. Each of the'two brace members 11 has a pin 13 embedded ineach end thereof and extending a short distance from the end. The pin inone end of each member 11 is adapted to enter a hole 14 in the foremostframe member 10 while the pin in the opposite end of each of the members11 is adapted to enter a hole midway between the ends of one of thecompanion brace members 12. Each of the two brace members 12 has a pin15 embedded in its end and extends beyond the end into a hole in one ofthe rear frame members 10. The interconnecting assemblies consisting ofthe brace members 11 and 12 adjacent the top and bottom of the kiteframe are identical to each other and their manner of 2,693,329 PatentedNov. 2, 1954 attachment through the medium of the pins 15 and holes 14are the same in each assembly, hence the same reference numerals areused for both the top and bottom assemblies.

In order to prevent displacement of thepins 13 and 15 of the members 11and 12 of each assembly from their respective holes, rubber bands 16 arelooped in notches 17 made in the rear frame members 10 and spaced oneach side of the connection between the brace members 12 and the saidframe members 10 at both the top and bottom of the frame. The rubberbands 16 are then engaged in grooves or slots 18 in the brace members 12and spaced inwardly from each end of each brace member. The rubber bands16 are secured in the notches or slots 17 and 18 under tension, hencehis a tendency of the rubber bands to urge the rear frame members 10toward the ends of the upper and lower brace members 12. These bands areeffective also to permit limited movement between the frame members 10and brace members 12 and to relieve shock imposed on the frame as awhole to prevent fracture thereof at the joints.

The notches 18 adjacent the ends of brace members 12 also retain rubberbands 19, the latter being brought under tension and, engaged in notches20 in the upper and lower surfaces of brace members 11 at a point spacedfrom the ends thereof which engage the midsections of companion bracemembers 12. Tension on .the rubber bands 19 cause the brace members 11and 12 to be urged into close relationship and held in such relationshipagainst forces tending to separate them.

v In a manner similar to the foregoing, rubber bands 21 i are engaged innotches or slots 22 in the sides of brace members 11 at a point spacedinwardly of the end of said member 11 which engages the foremost framemember 10. The bands 21 are also engaged in notches or slots 23 in theforemost frame member 10 at points spaced above and below the point ofengagement between the brace members 11 and the said frame members 10,at both the top and bottom of the kite frame. Thus, the frame membersand brace members are held securely together, subject to limiteddisplacement as permitted by the resilient bands.

Embracing the frame members 10 at the top and bottom end concealing theinterconnecting assembly are planes 24 and 25. These planes may be madeof any material but are preferably constructed from pliable plasticsheet material to allow for a small degree of resiliency.

On each side of the kite frame is a wing 26 consisting of paper or othersuitable material whose edges 27 are overlapped on twine or cord 28 andsecured by gluing or other means. The cord 28 of each wing is engaged innotches 29 in the upper ends of the rearmost frame members 10 and innotches 30 in the lower ends of these frame members. The chords 28 ofthe wings 26 are brought under tension by a transverse frame member 31,the cord 28 of each wing lying in a notch 32 in each end of thetransverse frame member 31. The transverse frame member 31 is attachedto the rearmost frame members 10 by small rubber bands 32a, the bandsbeing looped in notches 32b in the said frame members 10 and over thesaid transverse frame member 31, in the manner shown in Figure 1.

A flying bridle 33 has one end attached adjacent the upper end of theforemost frame member 10 and its opposite end attached to the same framemember adjacent its lower end. A line 34 is attached to the bridle 33for flying the kite.

In Figure 4 is shown a modified example of the resilient connectionbetween the socalled brace members and the parallel frame members of thekite. In this form of the invention, a parallel frame member isidentified by reference numeral 35 and has pressed therein a wire staple36, one leg of which is clenched on the inner face of the frame memberwhile the companion leg 37 of the staple extends perpendicularly to theframe member. A strip of relatively thin but stiff material 38, such asfiber, lies flush against and in parallelism with the inner surface ofthe frame member 35 and has notched ends 39. A brace member 40 abuts thereinforcing strip 38 and has an axial hole in its end to receive the leg37 of the stapl'e 36. An endless rubber band 41 embraces the framemember 35 at points spaced from each side of the staple 36 and the leadsof the rubber band are brought together and pressed into the notch ateach end of the reinforcingstrip: 38;,thenee, the leads-10f" theband-continue downwardlynand 'are engaged in-notches 42 in each side-ofthe bracemember 40: In thismanner, the points. in the frame members 35vulnerable to fracture under certain'conditions: are reir'rforcedv bythe .strips 38?:withou1: sacrificing .anyzofthe resiliency-afforded bythe. connections 'Manifestly, the, construction as shown and describedis: capable. of some modification-and such modification asmaybeconstrued to :fall within the scope and meaning ;of the'appendedclaims isjalso consid'ered'tobe within the spirit and'intent; of theinvention;

What. is claimed is;

1. In a kite frame construction,a-plurality of parallel frame membersof-equal ilengths spaced apart" intrian- "-gularrelationship, eachofi-"said frame members having; a

"pair of' spaced apartylate'ral'uslots adjacent, each of its (is, asubstantially T shapevd interconnectingassembly fOI'JSaId framemembersadjacenti their upper and lower endszjeachsaid assemblycomprisinga first brace member having opposed 'lateral slots spaced fromeach end thereof, a, pin in each end of said first bracemember'enteringholes in two. off'said frame members-unidway" between the slotsofeachpair of slots therein, and ansecond brace member havingopposedlateral. slots spaced-from each endthereof, a pin in each end of saidsecondbrac'emember, one pin. thereof 1 entering ahole in the'midsectionof said first" brace member -midway between the slots therein, the otherof said, pins entering-a hole in the remainder: of said framemembers'midway between the slots of each pair of slots therein, and anelastic band means engaged in each pair of slots of each of said framemembersland the sdots of a brace member at its point of connection withsaid frame member to yieldingly hold said pins against dislocation withrespect to said holes.

2. In a kite frame, a, series of parallel frame members of equallengths, a-pair of correlated brace members detachably connectedtopsaid, frame members at points spaced fromeach end of said framemembers, said brace members each comprisinga pair of sticks disposed inT-shape, each having notched sides adjacent each end, -apin protrudingfrom each end. of each stick adapted to enter a hole spaced from the endof each frame member, said frame'members each having notches therein oneach side of said hole, a rubber band engaged in the notches in each ofsaid frame members, and held under tension in the notches in said bracemember to urge said brace member into-yielding juxtaposition with saidframe member;

Re'ferenees-Citeddn the file of this patent- UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 1,180,224 Ayling Apr. 18, 1916 1,222,791 Perkins Apr.17, 1917 1,546,099 Myers July 14, 1925 1,908,325 DeHaven May 9', 19331,912,808 Watson June 6, 1933 2,386,762 Wheelwr-ight Oct. 16, 19452,422,804 Schroeder June 24, 1947 2,483,614 Benson Oct. 4, 19492,558,980 Pi'nkham July 3, 1951

